And sylvester



(No Model.) Y v 3 Shets-Sheet 1. C. SPENCER & S. H; ROPER.

MAGAZINE PIRE ARM.

Patented Apr. 4,1882.

M'lzzesses.

(No Model.) gsheets-sheet 3.

C. M. SPENCERA & S. H. ROPER. MAGAZINE PIRE ARM.

N0.255,894. PatentedApr. 4,1882;

Wzesses" Mgr. 7

of the shell in the chamber of the gun.

UNITED. -STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTOPHER M. sPENCEn, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AND sYLVEsT'En n.nor-En, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MAGAZINE FIRE-ARM.

senoricreativioliif forming parto'f Letters Patent No. 255,s94,'f1ateoApn a, 1882.

I y Application tiled January 9, 1882. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern Be .it known that we, CHRISTOPHER M.SPENCER. of Hartford, Connecticut, andSYL- VESTERH. ROYER, of Boston,Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements inMagazine-Shotguns,of which the followingis a specication.

Itis theobjcct of our invention to provide for the recharging ,of amagazine-shotgun without requiring the gun to be 'taken down fromv theposition in`whieh it has `been fired. `.'We accomplish this result bymeans ot' a forked slide provided with a handle which is arrangedbeneath the barrel in convenient position to be grasped and reciproeatedby one hand while the gun is h eld against the shoulder by theotherhand, which grasps the stock. One arm of the forked slidecarries atitsead-a--lat-er ally-projecting. pin, upon which is a frictionrollerwhich traverses a cam-groove provided with a spring-tongue or switch-camin theside of an oscillating breech-block. Theoscillation ot'thebreech-block is effected by the reciprocating friction-rollerorcam-pin in conjunction with the mainsprin g of the lock, which,inaddition-toits ordinary functionlof driving the hammer'when the gun istired, also actsupon the breech-block with a constant upward pressure.Therear wall of the receiver is curved concentrieally with rclation tothe axis of oscillation of the breechblock, and affords a bearin g forthe' rear end of the breech-block, which serves to take up the recoil. yThe friction-roller, hereinafter called the cam-pin;7 during Vthe latterpart of its backward exen'rsion,strikes against and throws backward thehammer, and thus cocks the gun. A horizontal slotin the side wall of thereceiver permits the inward projection o f the cam-pin which operatesthe breech-block, and this slot is covered by a metallic plate which isscrewed to the exterior of the wall of the receiver. The opposite walloi' the receiver is similarly slotted and covered with a metallic plate.rjfhe other arm of the slide carries an oscillating catch, which, in itsbackwardxxcursion, strikes-against the edge ot the plate covering theslot in the wall of thereeeiver, and being rocked inward catches theflange .Y

the continued backward movement oi the slide the shell is extracted anddeposited in the groovcd top of the 'breech-block, the breechhlockhaving be`en thrown down from the tiring position bythe first portion ofthe/backward movement of the cam-pin carried by the other arm oftheslide. The groove in the side wall of the breech-block is of such shapeas to permit the breech-block to be thrown upward by themainspringwhenthe cam-pinbascompleted its backward excursion. The sudden upwardvmovement of the breeehblock throws out the empty shell from the groovein the top oi' the breech-block, and one of the side walls of thisgroove is extended upward and curved slightly over the groove, so thatthe shell in being thrown ont'is given a sidewise direction. When thebreech-block is thus thrown upward a car- --rieaeell -in--thclow'erpart'ofy theoreecheblock' containing a loaded shell is brought intoalignment with the chamber ofthe gun, and during 7o the rst portion ofthe forward excursion of the slide the catch, which during the backwardexcursion has acted as an extractor, now catches upon the flange of theloaded shell and pushes the loaded shell forward into the chamber, vthusacting as an iuserter. By the latter portion of the forward movement ofthe slide the breech-block is rocked downward into its mid-` dleposition', in whichtheing-pin is brought into alignment with theprimer.V At the same time the mouth of the carrier-cell is brought'.tonest opposite the mouth of the magazine,

in positionto be supplied with a loaded shell therefrom .by the actonofthe magazine-spring.

It will be understood that while the devices which we employ may bevariously modified, the leading feature of our invention, the pri-memover of the mechanism by which the desired results are accomplishethis`the forked slide provided with a handle forward of the breech inconvenient position to be grasped by the hand and reciproeated in a pathsubstantially parallel with the barrel, while the other baud grasps thestock and holds the gnu against the shoulder in tiring position...4

The accompanying drawings, representing portions of a magazine-shotguncontaining our improvements, are as follows:

Figure 1 is a top view' of the receiver and the adjoining portions,respectively, ofthe barrot 2 l season breech-block being represented indotted lines' as in its middle or tiring position. Fig.3 is atransverselongitudinal section through theline o ein Fig. 2. vFig. 4 isa ieft-hand side view, partly in vertical section, showing theoscillating breech-block thrown vdownward into its lowest position bythe iirst portion ofthe back ward excursion ot' the slide. Fig. 5 is .aview of the same side of the gun, partlyin section, showing thebreech-block in its highest posi- Ition and the slide at the end ot' itsbackward excursion, also showing the cam-pin in con'- taet with thehammer and the hammer at fulleoclr.. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionot' a portion ofthe handle and the magazine, showing the springstop-latch for holding the slide at the end of its forward excursion.Fig. 7 is a right-hand side elevation otf the gun, partly in section,showing the breech-block in its highest position and an empty shell 'inthe act of being ejected from the recess in the top of the breech-block.Fig. Sis a. transverse section through the line xm on Fig. 7. Fig. 9 isa transverse section through the line yyon Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a frontelevation of thc breechblock in its highest position, showing thereceiver in transverse vertical section through the line z z on Fig. 7.I

The drawings represent :i single-barreled shotgun, the barrel A. and thestock B o f which are secured respectively to the front-and rear endsofthe receiver C. A tabular magazine, D, is arranged ,immediatelybeneath the barrel, and has its mouth inserted in the lower portion ofthe front end of thereceiver. An oscillating breech-block, E, which isconstantly subjected to the upward pressure of the mainspring F of thelock, is made to occupy three positions by thc reciprocation ot' the armGr, the forward end of which is axed to the yoke Ej, which is perforatedand provided with the 'tubular handle H', to admit-the tubular magazineD, upon which the ypke and handle slide.

The oscillating breechblock occupies its middle oriiring position whenthe yoke is fully extended forward,by reason of the fact that at thattime a. cani-pin, g, extending laterally inward from the end of the armG, occupies the groove E in the forward portion of the leftin dottedlines in Fig. 2, in which the gun is represented as being cocked, thehammer I of the lock being shown ,also in dotted lines as. thrownbackward.

ln order to permit the extraction of the shell from the chamber ofthegun, the breech-block is thrown downward from its middle position. Thisis effected by the backward excursion of the slide G, andconscqnentengagement by the cam-pinot' the inclined upper edge ot' theswitclxearn e, pivoted tothe recessed side Wall ot' the breech-block. Bythe completion ofthe backward excursion of the slide G the cam-pin giscarried beyond the rear end, e', of the switch-cam e, and theoscillating breech-block is thus released to the expanding action ofthemainspring F, the upper legot'which is seated in the stirrupf, pivotedto the tang E3 oi' the breech-block. By the expanding action oftheinainspring F the breech-block is thrown into its highest position, asrepresented in Figs, 7,8, and 10. *During the latter part ofthe backwardexcursion of the-slide the. cam-pin strikes against the shoulder t' ofthe hammer and pushes back the hammer and cocks the gun. During theforward excursion ofthe slide the cala-pin strikesl against the inclined partEz of the lower wall of the recess in the side of the breech-block andforces thebrecch-block downward into its middle or tiring position. Theswitch-earn, which yields in an upward direction as the cam-pin travelsnp theincline E2, is brought back to its normal position by means ofthespring e2, affixed to the side wall of the breech-block, and hearingwit/h its free end upon the lower edge, c3, of the slote in the centralpart ot the switch-cam.

The stock ofthe gun is recessed in the usual manner to contain thebightf of the mainspring, the lower leg. of whiclnfz, is seated in thestirrup i', pivoted to the hammerhub I', and drives the hammer when thegun is tired.

The'hightof the mainspring is provided with the recess f3 to admit theii'xed hook f4, by which thespring is held in its proper place.

The tiring-pin K is carried in the breechblock, and when thebreech-block is in its middie position the point k ofthe tiring-pinstands opposite the center ot' the cartridge in the chamber, while itshead it is in position to receive the blow ot' thc hammer. NVhen thebreech-block occupies its middle'or fringposition a carrier=cell,L,inthe lower part of the breech-block is brought into position, with itsmouth opposite the mouth d ot' the magazine, and by the action of themagazine-spring a. cartridge from the magazine is forced backward intothe carrier-cell. To till the magazine the oscillating breech block isthrown upward to its highest position, and the cartridges are thenlintroduced into the lower part of the receiver and pushed forward intothe magazine. As the cartridges are succes sively pushed into themagazine they are prevented from springing backward by means of thespring-lip ,pivoted in the lower front edge ofthe breech-block. Thisspring-lip yields to allow the anges of the cartridges to pass as theyare pushed into the magazine.

The side `wall ot' the receiver is longitudinally slotted to allow thecam-pin to project inward and engage the com-groove in 'the side wallofthe breech-block, and'this slot and the rearward portion of the slidecarrying the campin are covered by the plate M, which is screwed to thewailjofth'e receiver. A tang, E3, which projectsback ward from thecentral part of the rear end of the' breech-block, is transverselyAright-hand Ycillating breech-block ,into

slotted near the end to receive the screw E, upon which the breech-blockswings; The rear en d of the breech-block bears upori the rear wall,C,ofthe receiver, these hearing-surfaces A being concentrically curved withrelation to the axis of oscillation ot the breech-block. By thisorganization of the parts the recoil is taken up by the rear lwall, C',of the receiver, and does not affect the screw E4. The rear end of thereceiver is vertically slotted to admit the tang E3, and is recessedupon the left-hand side to admit the sliding cam-pin g and to provideroom t'or the.swin'g of the hammer. The side of the tangE", near itspoint ofjunction with the rear end ot the breech block, is provided withadownwardlypvojecting slotted plate, E5, the slot N of which isconcentrieally curved with relation to the axis of oscillation of thebreech-block, and engages a pin, n, inserted in the side wall, c, whichconstitutes the inner boundary of the recess in4 the rear end of thereceiver. The side wall, c, and the right-hand side wall of the slotwhich admitsthe tang Efare in the same plane. The pin n acts as a stopwhich limits the extreme range of oscillation of the breech-block ineither direction. The hammer oscillates upon the shank of the screw l2,and is provided with the arm 13, which projects downward into theforward portion of the space within the trigger-guard, and affords ameans of cocking the gun without the aid of the cam-pin g, and alsoshows by its position whether the gun is cocked or not. v v t, y, ,y v

The right-handside wall of the receiver is longitudinally slotted-toadmit the reciprocating arm O, the forward end of which is affixed tothe yoke H. A plate, O', which is screwed upon the righthand side wallof thc receiver, covers the slot and the rearward portion of thereciprocating 'arm O. The arm O is provided with'aflongitndinal slot, O,in which is pivoted the catch o. A dat spring,o,atiixed tothe inner sideof the arm O, acts upon the tail end of the catch with a force tendingto throw its free end inward. During the backward excursion of the arm0,after the cam-pin g has been moved back a proper distance and has per'formed its preliminary work of rocking the osits lowest position, theinclined outer edge, o2, of the catch ois brought. against the end 03 ofthe plate O,and the catchis thereby forced positively inward, so thatthe notch o3 upon the inner edge o'f the catch, near the end, is made toengage the flange of the shell lyingr within the chamber a ofthe gun.Daring the continuance of the backward excursion of the arm O the catcho slides along the under surface ot' the plate O', and maintaining itshold upon the flange extracts the shell from th'e chamber of the gun anddeposits it in the groove l), formed in the top of the breech-block.When the reechblock, by heilig released to the action of the mainspiing,is made to ily upward to its highest position, .the shell lying in thegroove Pis thrown out, and the lett-hand side wall, p, of

the groove Pis extended upward and partially over the groove, in orderto give to the shell, whenbeing thrown out, a sidewise direction. As thebreech-block moves up to its highest position the Harige of thecartridge lying in the cell L is carried into the notch o3 of the catcho, and by the first portion ot' the forward excursion of the arm 0 thecartridge is pushed from the cell L into the'ehamber a of the gun. Theupper edge, L', ofthe mouth ofthe cellL is slightly chamfered, and asthe breech-block is swung downward the chamfcred edge L rides across theiiange of the cartridge, in case the baseot the cartridge projectsV fromthe breech-block, in its downward movement, acts as a wedge and forcesthe cartridge home in the chainber ofthe gun.

It' desired, the reciprocating yoke carrying the arms which operate thebreech-block and the extractor and insertcr may T be provided with astop to hold it when fully extended forward. A convenient device forthis purpose isA shown in Fig. 6, in which it will be seen that themagazine D, upon which the yoke and handle slide, is provided with theslot d', and that the handle H is provided with the longitudinal recessh, inwhieh is pivoted the oscillating spring-latch h'. The nose h2 ofthe latch springs into the notch d when the handle is fully extendedforward and stops the backward movement of the handle. When the gun isto be recharged the exterorly-projeeting and I3 ot' the latch 71' ispressed inward by the hand grasping the handle, and the nose h? of thelatch being thus withdrawn from the slot d' in the magazine, the handlecan then he pulled backward.

It will of course he understood that instead ot' using the plates M andO' for covering the slots respectively in the side walls of the receiverthe. side walls ofthe receiver maybe made thicker, and grooves may beformed upon the inner faces thereof to receive arms G and O.

We claim as our invention- 1. In a breech-loading shotgun, incombination with a movable breech-block, substantially such asdescribed, a forked slide provided with a handle adapted to bereciprocated in a path parallel with the axial line ot' the barrel, thetwo arms or branches ot` such slide being provided thc one with aearn-pin and the other with an Aextractor'and inserter.

2. The cam-pin g and means for reciprocating the same across the wall ofthe receiver in a. path substantially parallel to the axis of the barrelof the gun, in combination with the switch-cam @,'pivoted to therecessed side wall of the oscillating breech-block C, andthemainspringtr F otl the lock, substantially as set forth.

3. In combinationwith a movable breechblock, substantialty such asdescribed, the reciprocating yoke H, carrying the arms for op eratingthebreech-block and the extractor and inserter,`a`nd provided with thehollow handle H', and means for 'guiding the samelin a path chamber, andthus the forward end of theV ros IXO

the sliding paraile with and beneath the barrel ofthe gun, as set forth.y

4. vThe hoiowhandie H of the'reciproczxting yoke H, carrying the. armsfor: operating the breech-block and theextractornnd inserter, supportedupon and guided hy the magazine D,`snhstantiaily as set forth.

5. The reciprocating yoke H, cmjrying the arms fon operating illebreech-*Mock and the extractor and inseitci", in combination with thespring-hitch h' and a sot oi shouider d. for engaging the nose ot' thehitch :md stopping the backward movenicnt'of the yoke when fniiyextended forward.

6. The movable breech-block containing the 'carrier-cen L, and/thereciprocating arm G, carrying the extractor and inserter, o1' catch o,provided with the notch og, in combination with means, snhstantiaiiySuch as iiescriheai, for moving the breech-block and for reci proeatjngthe afin 0 and catch o, suhstantiaily in the manner set forth, wherebyone side of the notch `o catches upon and extracts the shei from thechamber of the gun during the backward excursion of the arm 0, and theopposite side of the notch o3 engages the oase ot' the cartridge. in thecarrier-ceu, when. by the movement of the hreeehbiock, the carrier-cellishronghtinto alignment with *he chamber, and during the forwadexcursion of the :me inserts the cairidge into thc chamber,snhsiautiaily as described.

'7. The topof the breech-Mock., gir-avided upon one side with thenpwardiyanc idwamiiycurve side wail, 'p, for the .purpose ot' giving osidewiseeiirection lo the shell when being thrown ont of the cavity P bythe npwsir movement of the breech-block, substantially as described.

CHRSTOPEER M. PENCER,

SYLVESTER H. BGPER.A

Witnesses:

01ans. L. BURDETT? W. E. MARSEFI.

